University of Colorado and Vanderbilt study finds noninvasive ventilation reduces hypoxemia during emergency intubation in critically ill adults.

The University of Colorado co-led a trial with Vanderbilt University, comparing two preoxygenation methods before tracheal intubation: noninvasive ventilation and an oxygen mask. The study, called PREOXI, found that preoxygenation with noninvasive ventilation led to a lower incidence of hypoxemia during emergency intubation in critically ill adults. Hypoxemia occurred in 9.1% of patients using noninvasive ventilation, compared to 18.5% using an oxygen mask.